Tuesday, April 29, 2008

On Tuesday, April 29, as family members and fellow officers looked on, Officer Luke Hoffman's name was inscribed on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial during the annual Engraving Day ceremony. He is among 358 fallen law enforcement officers nationwide whose names are being added to the Memorial this spring.

Engraving Day occurs every April at the Memorial. While this year's ceremony saluted Officer Hoffman among others, it symbolically commemorates the service and sacrifice of all 18,274 officers whose names are inscribed on the Memorial. Click here to view photos from Engraving Day Ceremony.

"Luke made an immediate impression with the Montgomery County Police Department by graduating first in his academy class. He carried that dedication to the street," said Chief of Police J. Thomas Manger. "For an all too brief period, Luke Hoffman represented the best the Montgomery County Police Department had to offer. We miss him today, as we did a year ago."The 358 names being added to the Memorial this year include 181 officer deaths from 2007 and 177 from previous years. All of the names will be formally dedicated on the Memorial during the 20th Annual Candlelight Vigil on the evening of May 13th. Please plan to join us that evening if you can.

If you can't be at the Candlelight Vigil physically, please take a moment that evening to reflect on the service and sacrifice made by so many of our nation's peace officers -- living and fallen.